But I Love You Still
by marymin
Summary: Kano can't sleep.


The door to Kano's room creaked open and he froze, eyes on the strip of hallway light that fell across his shoulder and against the far wall. To whoever it was, it would definitely look like he was sleeping, not wide-awake and restless as he was. Before he could figure out who it was, the door shut and the strip of light vanished completely, leaving him confused in the dark.

That is, till he heard the door open down the hall and then shut again. Seto's room? The same quiet open-shut from Mary's room, and the motions were familiar to him now. When he was a child he slept on a mattress in his mother's room, at least when he wasn't curling into whatever small space he could find to nurse his bruises and nap a little. But at the Tateyama house he'd grown used to staying up until Ayaka checked on each of them before going to bed, making sure they were all home and safe.

A snicker left him before he could stop it. She was so motherly, wasn't she? Anyone else would say that Kido looked tough, or like a rough guy, but Kano considered himself lucky to be one of the few in the know, who got to see the quiet late-night sides like this.

And once he'd had a peek, he wanted it all. He wasn't sleeping anytime soon anyway.

With a cat-like stretch he rolled out of bed and slipped into the hallway, catching sight of her at the end of it, leaning into the main room where Shintaro slept on the couch.

Even checking on people who were older than her and a legal adult—Kano stifled another giggle behind his hand.

She heard him though, her head whipping around to find him. He raised his hands in a motion like 'I surrender!' and her shoulders relaxed as she sighed.

"Don't scare me like that," she muttered, shouldering past him.

He kept his voice low, so as not to wake those who were already asleep, and trailed after her. "Nice of you to check in on us, though," he whispered, and though he couldn't see her face he saw the sigh as she undoubtedly rolled her eyes at him.

"It's just habit. Go to bed already."

He could say he'd already been to bed, and it hadn't been working out for him, or press further on such habits, but he settled for wrapping his arms around her waist, his chin resting on her shoulder. It wasn't quite as comfortable as it would be if he were taller (_when_ he got taller, he reminded himself sternly) but she was warm enough to make up for it. She tensed under his touch, and he saw her check the closed doors again, making sure no one was watching. But she didn't shove him off.

"Being checked on is nice," he commented lightly, pressing his luck, "but I still can't sleep."

She leaned against him a little, and he wondered if she were exhausted. Probably; she was always working so hard to take care of them. "What do you want? Glass of water? Bedtime story?"

The idea of Kido telling a bedtime story was sort of tempting, but he saw another even better opportunity. He pretended to think, tapping long fingers against her hoodie-clad stomach.

"What about a kiss good night?"

It was a long shot, and he braced himself a little for the elbow to his stomach, for her to throw him off and stalk back to her room.

None of those things happened. She went still for a moment, then grumbled, "Fine. If it really will get you to go to bed."

Kano could have jumped for joy, but he settled for loosening his grip on her so she could turn and face him, her hands finding their way to his shoulders. To his surprise, though she was definitely glowering full-force, she also looked a little bit shy.

"G'night!" Kano chirped, a false layer of cheer to cover up the shaky feeling that had risen in his stomach at her bashful face. Then he rocked up on his toes to kiss her.

It wasn't magical or passionate or the stuff of fairy tales. Kido had just brushed her teeth. Her hair smelled nice. Her fingers curled in the fabric of his shirt just a little. These little facts floated around in Kano's head as he stepped back, grinning widely, though they didn't seem to come together into a full memory just yet.

"Go to bed," she replied, releasing him and stepping back, and this time he did let go properly.

"Yes Ma'am!" he whisper-sang, saluting her before spinning on his heel to return to his room.

Despite his wheedling, it took him hours to finally fall asleep, and when he did his dreams were a mess of fragmented thoughts that tasted like peppermint and ended too soon.


End file.
